Reading comprehension skills and strategies level 6

HIGH-INTEREST

SKILLS & STRATEGIES

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LEVEL

6

100

REPRODUCIBLE ACTIVITIES



Reading Comprehension
Skills and Strategies
Level 6

Saddleback Educational Publishing

Three Watson
Irvine, CA 92618-2767
Web site: www.sdlback.com

Development and Production:
The EDGe
ISBN 1-56254-033-5
Copyright ©2002 by Saddleback Educational Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without written permission of the publisher, with the following exception.
Pages labeled Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002 are intended for reproduction. Saddleback Educational
Publishing grants to individual purchasers of this book the right to make sufficient copies of reproducible pages for use by all
students of a single teacher. This permission is limited to an individual teacher, and does not apply to entire schools or
school systems.
Printed in the United States of America
06 05 04 03 02 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1


Table of Contents
Skills
Teacher welcome and teaching tips . . . . . . . . . 4

Identifying analogies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Analyzing root words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Categorizing information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Analyzing root words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Categorizing information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Analyzing prefixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Categorizing information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Analyzing prefixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Categorizing information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Analyzing suffixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Comparing and contrasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Analyzing suffixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Comparing and contrasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Following directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Developing questioning techniques . . . . . . . . .44

Following directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Developing questioning techniques . . . . . . . . .45

Analyzing visual and context clues . . . . . . . . 14

Predicting outcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Analyzing visual and context clues . . . . . . . . 15

Predicting outcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Analyzing context clues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Predicting outcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Inference—analyzing word clues . . . . . . . . . . 17

Making/confirming/inferences . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Inference—analyzing word clues . . . . . . . . . . 18

Making/confirming/inferences . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Analyzing vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Making/confirming/inferences . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Analyzing vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Making/confirming inferences . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Analyzing vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Making/confirming/revising inferences . . . . . .53

Identifying signal words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Using T of C to preview and predict content . .54

Recognizing signal words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Using heading captions to preview and
predict content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Using a dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Using a dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Using text captions to preview and
predict content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Using a dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Identifying main idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Using a dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Identifying main idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Identifying context clues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Identifying main idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Identifying context clues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Identifying main idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Identifying idioms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Identifying main idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Identifying similies and metaphors . . . . . . . . 31

Identifying main idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Recognizing the 5 W’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Identifying main idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Recognizing the 5 W’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Identifying main idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Classifying items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Identifying main idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Classifying items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Outlining story events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Identifying analogies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Outlining story events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

2

Summarizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Making inferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Summarizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Making inferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Interpreting problem/solution . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Identifying details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106

Interpreting problem/solution . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Identifying details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

Interpreting a grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Identifying details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108

Interpreting a diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Identifying details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109

Interpreting a label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Understanding author’s view/purpose . . . . . .110

Distinguishing between fact/opinion . . . . . . . .75

Understanding author’s view/purpose . . . . . .111

Distinguishing between fact/opinion . . . . . . . .76

Understanding character’s view . . . . . . . . . . .112

Distinguishing between fantasy/reality . . . . . .77

Understanding character’s view . . . . . . . . . . .113

Deleting trivial information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Identifying setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

Deleting trivial information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Identifying setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Deleting trivial information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

Identifying time frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

Deleting trivial information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Identifying story line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Identifying types of stories (story genre) . . . . .82

Identifying story plot/goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

Identifying types of stories (story genre) . . . . .83

Identifying main idea/plot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

Identifying a topic sentence in text . . . . . . . . .84

Identifying tone/mood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

Identifying a topic sentence in text . . . . . . . . .85

Identifying tone/mood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

Identifying supporting text sentences . . . . . . .86

Summarizing main idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

Identifying supporting text sentences . . . . . . .87

Summarizing main idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123

Identifying supporting details and facts . . . . .88

Reading and writing to persuade . . . . . . . . . .124

Identifying supporting details and facts . . . . .89

Reading and writing to persuade . . . . . . . . . .125

Recognizing similarities and differences . . . . .90

Story sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Recognizing similarities and differences . . . . .91

Story sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127

Comparing and contrasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92

Factual recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

Comparing and contrasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93

Factual recall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Comparing fact and opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

Making a generalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130

Comparing fact and opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Making a generalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131

Determining cause/effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

Mapping story events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

Determining cause/effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97

Mapping story events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133

Analyzing characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Mapping characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

Analyzing characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Mapping characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Analyzing chronology/perspective . . . . . . . . .100

Mapping timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

Analyzing perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Teacher’s Scope & Sequence chart . . . . . . . . .137

Making inferences—visual clues . . . . . . . . . .102

Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139

Making inferences—word clues . . . . . . . . . . .103

3


Teacher Pages just for you!
Welcome to Reading Comprehension
Skills and Strategies

About this Series

This unique series is specially created for you by Saddleback Educational Publishing, as
an exciting supplement to reinforce and extend your classroom reading curriculum.
Reading Comprehension Skills and Strategies can easily be integrated into basic reading
curricula as additional reading lessons: as stand-alone strategy and skill instructional
lessons; as across-the-curriculum lessons; or as activities for students with special
projects, interests, or abilities.
This series is based on the most current research and thought concerning the teaching
of reading comprehension. This series not only sharpens traditional reading
comprehension skills (main idea, story plot, topic sentence, sequencing, etc.), but it
also reinforces the critical reading comprehension strategies that encourage your
students to use prior knowledge, experiences, careful thought, and evaluation to help
them decide how to practically apply what they know to all reading situations.
Traditional comprehension skills recently have been woven into the larger context of
strategy instruction. Today, literacy instruction emphasizes learning strategies—those
approaches that coordinate the various reading and writing skills and prior knowledge
to make sense to the learner. Our goal in this series is to provide you and your students
with the most up-to-date reading comprehension support, while teaching basic skills
that can be tested and evaluated.

Reading Comprehension Strategies
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

vocabulary knowledge

activating prior knowledge
pre-reading—previewing and predicting
previewing and predicting text
mental imaging
self-questioning
summarizing
semantic mapping

Saddleback Educational Publishing promotes the development of the whole child with
particular emphasis on combining solid skill instruction with creativity and
imagination. This series gives your students a variety of opportunities to apply reading
comprehension strategies as they read, while reinforcing basic reading comprehension
skills. In addition, we designed this series to help you make an easy transition between
levels (grades 5, 6, and 7) in order to reinforce or enhance needed skill development for
individual students.

4


About this Book
Reading Comprehension Skills and Strategies is designed to reinforce and extend the
reading skills of your students. The fun, high-interest fiction and non-fiction
selections will spark the interest of even your most reluctant reader. The book offers
your students a variety of reading opportunities—reading for pleasure, reading to
gather information, and reading to perform a task. Characters throughout the
book prompt the student to apply one of the strategies to the reading selection and
includes a relevant comprehension skill activity.

Choosing Instructional Approaches
You can use the pages in this book for independent reinforcement or extension,

whole group lessons, pairs, or small cooperative groups rotating through an
established reading learning center. You may choose to place the activities in a
center and reproduce the answer key for self-checking. To ensure the utmost
flexibility, the process for managing this is left entirely up to you because you
know what works best in your classroom.

Assessment
Assessment and evaluation of student understanding and ability is an ongoing
process. A variety of methods and strategies should be used to ensure that the
student is being assessed and evaluated in a fair and comprehensive manner.
Always keep in mind that the assessment should take into consideration the
opportunities the student had to learn the information and practice the skills
presented. The strategies for assessment are left for you to determine and are
dependent on your students and your particular instructional plan. You will find a
Scope & Sequence chart at the back of this book to assist you as you develop your
assessment plan.

5


What do plants have to do with reading? Roots! In
both plants and reading, everything grows from roots.
Learn these roots and watch your vocabulary grow.
Directions:

Match each word on a leaf to the root from which it grew. Write the letter of the
root on the leaf.

___
man

ufac
ture

___ democracy

y
entur
c
_
_
_
___
fort
ify

___
relo
cate

graph
o
t
u
a
___

ium
___ terrar

___

tel
egr
am

___
aqua
tics

___ in
credib
le

___

pre
dic
t

erty
___ lib

ROOT WORDS
A. dict–say; speak
B. auto–self
C. dem–people; population
D. fort–strong

E. gram–draw; write
F. loc–place
G. terra–earth; land

H. man–hand

Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

6

Date:

I.
J.
K.
L.

cred–believe
cent–hundred
aqua–water
liber–to free

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Directions:

Read each list of words. Think about how they are alike. Then circle the correct
meaning of their common root word.

1. transport, import, export, portable

The root “port” most likely means

a. carry

b. ship

c. across

a. distance

b. machine c. measure

a. speed

b. hear

c. people

a. build

b. destroy

c. stop

a. fun

b. around

c. five

b. fail

c. obvious

a. name

b. mark

c. visible

a. most

b. less

c. small

2. diameter, metric, speedometer, centimeter
The root “meter” most likely means
3. audience, audition, audible, auditory
The root “aud” most likely means
4. construction, instruct, destruct, structure
The root “struct” most likely means
5. circus, circle, circular, circumstances
The root “circ” most likely means
6. proceed, exceed, succeed, concede
The root “cede or ceed” most likely means a. go, yield
7. signature, signal, sign, significant
The root “sign” most likely means
8. minor, minute, miniature, minimum
The root “min” most likely means

9. thermos, thermometer, thermal, thermostat
The root “therm” most likely means

a. bacteria

b. enclosed c. heat

10. solitary, solo, solely, solitude
The root “sol” most likely means

a. alone b. free

c. near

a. one

c. form

11. unicorn, uniform, unit, united
The root “uni” most likely means

b. kind

Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

7

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


How do you grow new words? One way is to start
with a sprout of a root word, then add a prefix.

Directions:

Add the prefix given to the root word. Then, in the sentences below, fill in the correct
word from the ones you wrote.

Prefix

Root Word

New Word

dis–opposite of

appear

_________________________________

re–again

write

_________________________________

mis–wrongly

understood

_________________________________

multi–many

color

_________________________________

mid–middle

day

_________________________________

non–not

sense

_________________________________

un–not

necessary

_________________________________

inter–between

national

_________________________________

1. The beautiful butterfly had _______________________________ wings.
2. Sometimes I wish this mess in my room would just _______________________________.
3. On a warm day it is _______________________________ to bring a heavy coat.
4. He was mad because he _______________________________ what I said.
5. The teacher made me _______________________________ my essay.
6. By _______________________________ the sun was high and we were hungry.
7. Olympic athletes enjoy _______________________________ fame.
8. Dad thought my excuse was pure _______________________________.
Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

8

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Directions:

First, read the story. Then go back and underline any word you see that has a prefix.
Finally, below, write the word you underlined that matches each meaning given.

The Bear Facts
The word “bear” can conjure up a variety of images—from a sweet teddy to the untamed
force of a grizzly. There are actually seven species of bear and many subspecies. Their size,
appearance, habitat, and diet differ greatly. The polar bear and grizzly are the
indisputable kings of the bears.
The largest of the bears is the polar bear. It roams the harsh arctic, undaunted by the
cold. The key to its survival there lies in its coat. Over a dense underfur lie long hairs that
get matted when wet and help keep the skin dry. Seals are its main prey, and ice floes
provide a base of operations on its incessant quest for food.
The grizzly has immense physical strength and mobility. Once these bears roamed much
of North America, but due to human intrusion, they have retreated to mainly northern
remote areas. Though easily capable of knocking down a bison, this bear prefers to
indulge in berries and roots. And yes, this brown bear does steal
honey from bees’ nests.
Despite their differences, these two kinds of bears are
so closely related that the two can interbreed and
produce fertile hybrid offspring.

1. fur that lies below:_____________________________________
2. not able to argue with: _________________________________
3. never ceasing: ________________________________________
4. withdrew; moved back: ________________________________
5. invasion: _____________________________________________
6. variety listed under a species: ___________________________
7. not hampered or discouraged: __________________________
8. mate between species: _________________________________
9. wild: _________________________________________________

Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

9

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Got a root word? Then you can grow new words
from it by adding suffixes.

Directions:

The missing word in each passage below is an adverb ending in -ly. Find the one that
makes the most sense, and fill it in.

confidently
nervously
jubilantly
wearily
suspiciously
contentedly
dejectedly

1. The math teacher challenged the class with a particularly tricky problem. “Any volunteers?”
he asked with a wry smile. One hand went up. “I’ll try it,” Linda said

______________________________________________.
2. The Bobcats were favored to win the championship. They were playing well but in the last
few seconds, missed a goal and lost. The players hung their heads and left the field
______________________________________________.
3. Mom volunteered to make Kyle’s Halloween costume. It took longer than she anticipated. At
11:30 P.M., she was still working, sewing on the last bit of trim. “Just a few more stitches
and I‘ll finally be done, ” she said ________________________________________.
4. In his whole life Brian had never won anything. When he heard about the science fair, he
was determined to make the best project. For weeks he worked on it until it was perfect.
When the judges made their decision, Brian ___________________________ accepted the first
place ribbon.
5. The doctor told Tim that he had an infection but that an antibiotic should clear it right up.
“Do I have to have a shot?” he asked
_____________________________________.
6. Sam left his sandwich on the porch steps and
went inside to get a glass of milk. When he
came back out, the sandwich was gone. Sam
looked over at his dog, Renny,
__________________________________________.
Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

10

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com

Directions:

The missing word in each sentence below ends with -tion. Find the one that makes
sense from the choices in the Word Box. Be careful! There are extras!

Word Box
lotion
mention
promotion
nation
description
commotion
accumulation
situation
translation
invention
punctuation
station
prevention
formation
determination
population

6. Vaccinations are given for the

1. It snowed all night, so there was an

___________________________ of disease.

___________________________________
of several inches by morning.

7. At midnight, the train pulled into the
____________________________________.

2. I cannot read Spanish. I’ll need a
___________________________________.

8. The police were looking for a car with
that ________________________________.

3. Oscar did a good job, so he got a raise
and a ______________________________.

9. Due to loss of habitat, the manatee
________________________ is decreasing.

4. The geese flew overhead in a V-shaped
___________________________________.

10. Every sentence should end with the
correct _____________________________.

5. The party for Josh is a secret, so don’t
__________________________________ it.

Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

11

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Here’s a trick that makes following directions as easy
as 1, 2, 3. Read the whole activity start to finish. Then
before you begin, reread the directions.

Directions:

Origami is the art of paper folding. It can be complicated or simple. Below are the
steps for making a simple folded animal face, but they are out of order! First, using
the illustrations as clues, write the steps in the correct order. Then follow the
directions to make your own fold-a-face.

Fold-a-Face
• Fold (A) down so that the point extends below the base of the triangle.
• Begin with a sheet of rectangular paper. Make it square by folding it diagonally,
then cutting off the excess strip.
• Color and use cut paper or other materials to create the face of a cat, leopard, or
tiger, dog or even a bat.
• Once you have cut off the strip, you will have a large triangle shape. Hold the
triangle with the widest angle (A) up.
• Fold up corners (B) and (C) along the edges of flap (A) to form ears.

1. __________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
✃
2. __________________________________________________________________________________
A

__________________________________________________________________________________
C
B
__________________________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
B

A

C

__________________________________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

12

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Directions:

Test your skill with alphabetical order by placing these words in the correct order.

Part 1: Match each word to its meaning.

a. not fit to eat

enormous

b. easy to reach or get to

inedible

c. able to read and write

accessible

d. sparkle; glitter; shine

spatter

e. thoughtful in a serious manner

diminish
glisten

f. to make or become smaller

literate

g. very large; huge

pensive

h. scatter or fall in drops

Part 2: Complete the puzzle by filling in the words above in alphabetical order.

★

Part 3: Write the word formed by the letters under the ★. Make sure it matches the meaning
given, then write the word in the blank of the sentence.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ : likely to occur soon; about to happen
The clouds darkened and rain was ___________________________.
Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

13

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


How can closing your eyes help you read better? By
letting you form a picture in your mind. Then you can
go back and see if the words match your ideas.

Directions:

Read the story, then fill in the bubble of the correct answer.

In the course of evolution, what happens when an
area is cut off from the rest of the world?
Madagascar is an island 250 miles off the coast
of Africa. It is estimated that it has been cut off
from the mainland for perhaps 80 million
years. The island today is a refuge for many
forms of life that have become rare or extinct in
other parts of the world. For example, up to 80
percent of Madagascar’s plant species are unique
to the island. In addition, about 46 kinds of birds are
found nowhere else. Lemurs, which elsewhere were
unable to compete with their larger primate cousins, the
monkeys, continue to thrive in the isolation of Madagascar.
1. Which word refers to a change over time?
O estimation

O evolution

O isolation

2. Madagascar is an island off the _____ coast of Africa.
O east
O west
O south
3. Lemurs are ______.
O mammals

O birds

O plants

AFRICA

4. Which best describes the meaning of unique?
O special
O alone
O one of a kind
5. Which word means a safe place?
O rare
O thrive

O refuge

6. What percentage of Madagascar’s plants are not unique to the island?
O 80%

O 20%

O 46%

7. Madagascar is isolated because _______.
O it is an island
O it is part of Africa

O no one goes there

Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

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Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Directions:

Dr. Windom

The clues in each person’s statement will help you figure out his or her career. First
match each name to the correct career below. Then complete the statement with the
job title.

“Just look at this skull. It must be centuries
old, yet is the finest specimen I have ever seen.” _______________________

Mrs. Tandy

“Yes, I believe if I take in the shoulders and hem the slacks, this suit will
fit just fine.”

Capt. Jones

_______________________________

“Ladies and gentlemen, look over the left wing to see the beautiful
Rocky Mountains.”

Ms. Lopez

_________________________

“I have examined the results of the experiment and found them to be
valid. ” _________________________

Mr. Snyder

“All right, boys. Practice went well today. We’re ready to meet the Tigers
in tomorrow’s game.” _____________________

Dr. Huang

“Have you been brushing and flossing regularly? You have a little build

up of plaque.” _________________________

Mrs. Tyler

“Your honor, my client has an alibi for his whereabouts on the night in
question.” _________________________

Capt. Allen

“I will need every skill you have as officers to patrol the city during the
ambassador’s visit.” ____________________________

______________________ 1. pilot

______________________ 5. scientist

______________________ 2. sports coach

______________________ 6. dentist

______________________ 3. anthropologist

______________________ 7. tailor; seamstress

______________________ 4. lawyer

______________________ 8. police captain

Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

15

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Directions:

Read the story. Then write TRUE, FALSE, or DOESN’T SAY under each statement.
1. The family was going to church.
_____________________________

Directions:
2. They were delayed by a traffic light not
working properly.
_____________________________
3. There were four people in the car.
_____________________________

Running Late
We were already running late for
Sunday services. If we hit all the lights
right, we could still make it on time. We
made it through the intersection of
Clover and Reston without a hitch, then
through the light at Greenwood, too. It

was looking good. But then we heard
the whistle and up ahead saw the big
white arms come down across the road.

4. Clover and Reston are streets.
_____________________________
5. The railroad tracks crossed Clover.
_____________________________
6. The train was carrying cargo, not
passengers.
_______________________________

Dad sighed, “I hope it’s not a long one.”
Sitting only five cars back, we watched
as the engine passed, then 72 freight
cars. Finally, the caboose rolled by.
11:10. Quietly we opened the door so as
not to disturb the people in the pews.
But, to our surprise, the service had not
yet started. Five more minutes passed.
Then the minister walked to the
podium, cleared his throat and said,
“We are beginning a bit late this
morning. Seems there was quite a long
train that held up some folks, and if
they can wait, so can we.”

7. The writer counted the freight cars as
they went by.
_____________________________

8. The word “hitch” in the first paragraph
refers to the couplings used to connect
railroad cars.
_____________________________
9. The word “we” in the final sentence
refers to the minister and the people
waiting in the church.
_____________________________

Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

16

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Hey, sometimes ideas are not directly stated. It’s up
to you to use clues supplied to figure out, or infer,
information.
Directions:

Chris mapped out the Connor family tree. Use it to answer the questions below.

Lily
Hadley

James
Connor

Neil
King

Jean
Connor

Jeff
King

Paul
King

Lynn
Connor

Jim
Connor

Sara
White

Sandy
Cox

David
Connor

Beth
Connor

Chris
Connor

1. Is Chris Connor a boy or girl?
___________________________
2. Who is Jeff’s grandfather?

5. Who is Jean Connor’s sister?

The
Connor
Family
Tree

___________________________
6. Whose Grandpa is Jim Connor?

___________________________

___________________________

3. Are Paul and David brothers
or cousins?
___________________________

7. Who is Chris’s aunt?

____________________________
8. Who is Paul King’s uncle?

4. Who is David’s mother?

____________________________

___________________________

9. How many children did James and Lily have? ___________________________
10. Do Beth Connor and Paul King have the same grandparents? ___________________________
11. Who is older—David Connor or Neil King? ___________________________
12. Which couple had two boys? ________________________________________________________
Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

17

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Directions:

Think about the bold word in each sentence. Then choose the closest meaning.

1. He held the wheel steady and applied the brakes until the rig came to a stop.

O bike
O horse
O truck
2. When asked to take her seat, the impudent child refused.
O young

O disrespectful

O good-natured

3. Tempers flared and an argument ensued.
O followed
O stopped

O south

4. The Chem-Free store caters to people who want organic foods.
O all-natural
O musical
O of the body
5. Crows are content to live in the city as well as in agricultural regions.
O park
O farm; rural
O unpopulated

6. The king accumulated riches while ignoring the needs of the poor.
O counted
O gave away
O collected
7. The couple married under a canopy of silk and flowers.

O overhead covering
O a carpet
O painting
8. Before deciding to move, the family had a frank discussion about it.
O quiet; solemn
O a person
O honest; open
9. The red blotches manifested on his skin indicated an allergic reaction.
O visible
O celebrated
O directly
10. We enjoyed hearing the saga of Humphrey the Humpback Whale.
O tale; story
O sadness
O sounds
Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

18

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


If you come to an unfamiliar word, use the words
around it for clues to its meaning. If that doesn’t help,
get out the trusty dictionary!

Directions:

Write the word that best describes how you would feel in each situation.

How Would You Feel?
1. The honor roll was just posted on the board.
When you check for your name, there it is.
You feel _________________________________.
elated

amused

2. You hoped your favorite team would make it to
the finals, but they were eliminated.
You feel _________________________________.
disappointed

determined

3. During class you look down and notice you’re
wearing two different colored socks.
You feel _________________________________.
flattered

foolish

4. Someone accused you of stealing some money
from his backpack.
You feel _________________________________.

insulted

inspired

5. You forgot to water Mom’s favorite plant as she
asked, and it died.
You feel _________________________________.
rejected

remorseful

Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

19

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Directions:

Read each sentence. Figure out which meaning makes the most sense for the bold
word. Write your conclusion on the line.

1. The two old women sat reminiscing about
their girlhood.

Is reminiscing remembering, crying, or complaining? __________________________________
2. Large rocks protruded from the side of the mountain.
Were the rocks falling, sticking out, or rising up? _________________________________
3. They hoped to find suitable quarters for the night, but none were available.
Are quarters money, fourths, or shelter? _________________________________
4. The field was meant for grazing.
Would it be used for raising crops, feeding livestock, or building on?
_________________________________
5. The tribe’s storyteller was legendary.
Was the storyteller an exaggerator, well-known, or old? _________________________________
6. At daybreak each morning, the sailors would hoist the flag.
Did they put it away, fold it, or pull it up? _________________________________
7. The City Council came up with a feasible plan for relieving the traffic congestion.
Was their plan unrealistic, reasonable, or complicated? _________________________________
8. The ring was inexpensive because it contained faux gems.
Were the gems fake, flawed, or small? _________________________________
9. A multitude of migrating butterflies rested in the trees.
Is multitude a large number, a guarded place, or reasonable? _____________________________
10. The explorers were plagued by flies.
Is plagued consumed, troubled and annoyed, or divided into sections.
_________________________________
Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

20

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Directions:

The Word Box has pairs of words that look similar but have dramatically different
meanings. Read each clue. Find and fill in the correct words in the puzzle.
1
3

2

4

5
6

7

8

9

10

ACROSS

Word Box

3. What might leaking water do?

tomb / comb

4. Where are pupils and irises found?

trickle / tickle

6. What might a police officer wear?

fret / flat

8. How might a mouse move?
9. Where might a judge be found?

center / circle

10. What might be raised on a farm?

court / coarse
hamper / scamper

DOWN

cattle / cuddle

1. What’s found in the middle?

ears / eyes

2. What’s found on a guitar?

badge / budge

3. Where would a mummy be buried?
5. The sound a parrot might make.

airport / airplane

7. Where would a hangar be found?

squeak / squawk

Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

21

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Get the signal! Signal words give you, a reader, clues
about what is coming or what the author wants to
point out—a very useful thing to know.

Directions:

On the signs below are several signal words. Figure out which one is missing from each
sentence. Write it on the line.

Part 1:
toward
probably
such as
however
immediately

1. I like raw carrots, _______________________, I don’t like
them cooked.
2. Go one mile, then _______________________ make a
left turn.
3. This is _______________________ not a good time to ask
you this.
4. The wagon train moved west, _______________________
the mountains.
5. Use a light color, _______________________ yellow.

1. The horses pulled up _______________________
the train.

Part 2:
in spite of
always
due to
alongside
consequently

2. He fouled, _______________________ losing the
game.
3. Young kids should _______________________ be
supervised.
4. She sang well _______________________ her
nervousness.
5. The fireworks were canceled _____________________ rain.

Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

22

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com


Directions:

In each sentence starter below is a signal word in bold print. Think about what
it is telling you. Then choose its purpose in the sentence.

1. There’s another reason why many people seem...
O signals that more is to come

O tells when something is happening

2. In contrast to being an only child...
O signals a conclusion

O signals a comparison is coming

3. And so, in summary...
O shows sequence

O signals a conclusion

4. In addition to his other inventions...
O signals an example will follow

O signals that more is to come

5. First of all, gather the materials...
O shows sequence

O shows where something is happening

6. To illustrate this idea...
O will give a reason for

O signals an example will follow

7. But, Maria felt quite the opposite about...
O signals a change of direction

O signals a conclusion

8. The primary concern of the council...
O signals an important point

O shows uncertainty

9. As a result of the report ...
O signals a comparison

O signals a conclusion

10. The principle item to keep in mind ...
O signals change in direction

O signals importance

11. Scientist think that perhaps dinosaurs were...
O shows uncertainty

O shows sequence

Name: _______________________________________
Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002

23

Date:

_____________________

3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone(888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com